After current Daviess County Fire Fire Chief Dwane Smeathers announced his retirement earlier this month, Daviess County Fiscal Court announced Jeremy Smith will take the position.
The appointment is pending Fiscal Court approval at its Sept. 5 meeting, but Smith, a 26 year firefighter, said he is excited about taking the helm of Daviess County Fire Department.
“The last 20 years have been an honor to serve the citizens of Daviess County,” he said. “I look forward to continuing to serve this community.”
Smith began his career as a volunteer firefighter at the Yelvington station. He became a paid firefighter in August 1999. He was promoted five years later to engineer at the newly built East Station on Ky-54 and then again to lieutenant in 2009. Smith has been an assistant chief since 2015.
Smith will oversee 27 firefighters and one inspector between two stations.
“This is a great bunch of firefighters,” he said. “This core group under me will make this transition easier.”
Smeathers, who encouraged Smith to volunteer at Yelvington 26 years ago, is proud of his assistant chief.
“The future is bright for Daviess County Fire Department,” he said. “People like Jeremy and so many others are more than deserving and able. The department is going to thrive and will continue to improve.”
